FEATURED ARTICLESWhen will the wildflowers bloom in the desert? This is one of the most often asked questions. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most difficult to answer. Each year, the unique combination of sun, wind, water. temperature, elevation precise location sets the stage for the springtime blooms. Use the following information to make your own predictions for this spring’s showing. More…Looking for Earp, Part I – When the Earp boys, Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan, cloaked in long black coats and accompanied by gambler “Doc” Holiday, made the famous walk to meet Ike Clanton and his gang in Tombstone, Ariz.; he walked into an exalted place in the history of the American West. He still captures our imaginations, 81 years after his death. More…The Dama Gazelle, an icon of wild grace and swiftness – faces a precarious future in its arid range along the southern reaches of the Sahara Desert. If it plunges into the black hole of extinction, it will become a symbol of the environmental cost of climate change, human encroachment, military and civil conflict and, perhaps most of all, overhunting. More…Shutterbug 101: Once upon a time – By now, I’m certain that you have collected many images from your digital and film cameras. Now what do you do with them? You could stuff the snapshots of family dinners and picnics away in old shoe boxes — thinking someday you will work on them, put them in albums, etc. But generally folks just leave those old negatives and prints in those shoe boxes. With digital, it’s also easy to have your photos stored away out of sight and mind — but now they are on CDs or DVDs. Maybe you will make a print or two to send to family and friends. How about creating lasting books of the photos that you like best? More…The Mojave Road – Perhaps the best treasure in eastern California’s Mojave National Preserve is a pair of tracks that cross the middle of it. This famous trail is the Mojave Road, one of the early routes that brought American pioneers to California. This trail is unique in that for most of this 138 mile stretch it is in much the same condition as the pioneers would have found it, and a lot of the trail passes through country that is virtually unchanged since prehistoric times. The road bisects the Preserve, wandering from waterhole to waterhole, and is mostly a 4-wheel-drive trail. More…January Dates in Tombstone History –January 17, 1882- Johnny Ringo challenged “Doc” Holliday to a duel on Allen Street. Deputy U.S. Marshal Wyatt Earp, “Doc” Holliday and Johnny Ringo were arrested. Earp and Holliday by Chief of Police Dave Neagle. Ringo by James Flynn. Holliday and Ringo fined $30 apiece. Earp released. More…DesertRoadTrippin’ – Desert Road Trips In Review – 4WD Road Trips by DesertUSA – DesertUSA took some fun road trips in 2009. In case you missed any of our trips, we are listing our favorite 4WD routes in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Joshua Tree National Park.. More…Trip of the Month – Tucson Gem Show, Arizona– Every February, mobs of rockhounders, gem dealers, paleontologists, Native Americans, geologists and just plain curious converge on Tucson, Arizona for the annual Gem & Mineral Show. The colossal Tucson Mineral Show is by far the largest gem and mineral show on earth. It is not a single show or held at a single location. The Tucson Show consists of dozens of major independent shows held at various locations throughout the city. More…

DESERTUSA’S STORE features quality items at low prices, with great shipping values!

NEW PRODUCTS!

Bring the past into your home or office with Knightia eocaena, a fish that lived 55 million years ago. This is an excellent starter fossil for teens or adults just beginning their collections, or a wonderful gift for those who are missing this beautiful specimen. Our Price: $14.95Read more!

The Golden Scorpion Keychain (glows in the dark) features a Golden Scorpion (Mesobuthus martensii), also known as Chinese armor-tail Scorpion, encased in clear lucite material. Size of the scorpion on the chain is 1.75 X 1.125 x .6 inches. Our Price: $9.95Take this real Golden Scorpion everywhere you go!

LED Lighted Stand with Glass SphereYou Get: One LED Light Stand – Diameter = 4 inches, Height = 2 inches. + One Clear Glass Sphere LED Stand comes with a Mirrored Top that slowly spins. Turn on and off separately from Lights. Projects multiple colors of LED lights on object placed on center of mirror. Can select 8 different lighting and flashing patterns. Comes with one power adapter, can run on batteries too! Our Price Only: $19.95! Read more!Agate Lights – Each one is unique! Choose your own! Cut and polished from Brazilian agate and mounted on a non- endangered Brazilian wood base. Available colors range from lustrous blues and purples to pristine whites and even a dramatic magenta tone. Hurry to pick the one you want before it is gone! The light bulb and cord are included. The stones are approximately 6.5" High by 4" Wide. The light is inside the stone. 115 volts. OUR PRICE: $29.95Read more…NOW! Free Keychain with Purchase of Any Agate Light!Beautiful Rose Quartz Lamp, lit from inside, set on a non-endangered Brazilian wood base casts a lovely light in whatever room you place it. Our price – only $25.95Find out more!Amethyst Candle Holder – Decorate your home or office with a beautiful Amethyst Candle Holder. Each candle holder is created from a unique piece of Amethyst, so no two candle holders are exactly alike. The average width of the Amethyst base is 6" to 7 ". This distinctive candle holder contains a center space for a standard tea candle. Each candle holder comes with 1 tea candle included. Our price: only $21.95 Read more…

Sandstone Coasters: New Designs – Thunderbird & KokopelliSymbol of a powerful Native American spirit capable of causing storms and bringing communication from the Great Spirt, our Thunderbird design is a beautiful, iconic work of art guaranteed to please lovers of Southwestern design. Kokopelli coasters are also availalble. Kokopelli is the symbol of music making, dancing, fertility and joy, presented here in a graceful arc, bringing peace and beauty to all around. OUR PRICE: $18.95/setMany more designs also available

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Last Chance: The Desert Southwest 2010 Calendar!Grab this classic southwestern calendar at a discounted price! This year’s beautiful photos include Tonto Ruins, Teapot Rock in Sedona, Canyonlands as seen from Shafer Basin, a late afternoon shot of the Superstitions, sunset at Arches National Park, thunderclouds over Pecos Pueblo, Death Valley, the Grand Canyon and many more amazing locations. OUR PRICE: $11.99 Read moreEarthmate GPS PN-40 – $399 Delivered – Save $50 with mail in rebate only with DesertUSA – A dual-core processor for lightning quick map redraws, when panning or zooming; Fast USB 2.0 data transfer to internal memory or SD card in device; Proprietary Kalman filter for enhanced GPS accuracy; Detailed onboard base map with major streets and highways worldwide, plus secondary roads in the U.S. Read more…Pewter Howling Wolf– Our Price $19.95 – Dramatic Pewter Howling Wolf is mounted on a large piece of Pyrite. The clear stand is attached the bottom of the Pyrite. Makes a lovely addition to any collection. Great depiction of the wild, right in your own home.Size: 4 inches x 3 InchesWolf alone is 2 inches x 1 5/8 InchesGold Panning is Easy book and Gold pan set – only 14.95 for both!

You can find Gold….. Believe it!! (DesertUSA did!! We started DesertUSA because of trips to the desert exploring and gold prospecting.)

Anyone can use a pan to recover gold from mountain streams, desert arroyos or wherever it awaits you. Roy Lagal, who has spent a lifetime finding gold, tells just how easy it is. Also, learn how to use metal detectors that can make discovering gold nuggets as easy as finding coins in the park.

Attention: Gardeners and Plant Enthusiasts!

Live Giant Saguaro!!!They are back in stock after 2 years.Live Giant SaguaroThe saguaro is 2 to 3 inches high and about 2 inches wide. Come with pot and dirt. Just add 1 tablespoon of water every month.

Description of Giant SaguaroThe magnificent Saguaro Cactus, the state flower of Arizona, is composed of a tall, thick, fluted, columnar stem, 18 to 24 inches in diameter, often with several large branches (arms) curving upward in the most distinctive conformation of all Southwestern cacti.

The Saguaro often begins life in the shelter of a "nurse" tree or shrub which can provide a shaded, moister habitat for the germination of life. The Saguaro grows very slowly — perhaps an inch a year — but to a great height, 15 to 50 feet. The largest plants, with more than 5 arms, are estimated to be 200 years old. An average old Saguaro would have 5 arms and be about 30 feet tall.

NEW from Cheri – Pomegranate Syrup!Try a Prickly Pear Margarita made with Prickly Pear Cactus syrup. The syrup also makes exceptionally flavorful Wine Coolers, Spritzers, and Prickly Pear Lemonade. The Syrup comes in 7 oz.,12 oz., 23 oz. and 1 gallon containers. At just $14.95, the 23 oz size is a great economical bargain!Click Here for more information.Enjoy Prickly Pear Cactus, Mesquite Bean and Margarita jelly candies – Half pound box featuring three mouth-watering candy selections. Tantalize your tastebuds with flavors of the southwest from the fruits of the desert.Desert Blush Lemonade (Makes 1/2 Gallon)16 oz. Lemon Juice3/4 Cup sugar1/4 Cup Prickly Pear Cactus Syrup48 oz. WaterDirections: Pour over ice or blend in a blender.Toma! Margaritas!: The Original Guide to Margaritas and Tequila – Our Price $15.95 – 107 pages. Here is your passport to margarita fame. Authors Plotkin and Flores bring you 125 of the most delicious, thirst-quenching margaritas ever concocted in on e irresistible collection. Refreshing, delicious and enormously popular, the margarita and its soul-mate tequila have become a cultural phenomenon. Read more…Pepper Patch Preserves – only $20.95 for one set of four flavorsContains four 5oz jars of jelly in the following flavors:Green Chile Pepper Jelly: The mild chili flavor achieved by combining several hand-picked peppers yields a wonderful flavor compliment to poultry, meat and fish dishes. Red Chile Pepper Jelly: The medium heat is obtained by using just the right combinations of red sweet pimento peppers and red chilies to enhance any meat, poultry, or pork dish. It is also superb as a dip with cream cheese. Jalapeno Jelly: A combination of red chilies as well as three other types of chili peppers renders a heat level that awakens the taste buds and transforms an ordinary dish into a delectably spicy memory. Habanero Jelly: An eye opener and throat warmer, this hot jelly is for the connoisseur of deliciously hot preserves.

Great Toys – for Kids & Adults!

Adorable stuffed animals with sound! All kinds, take a look at our huggable wolf baby, cozy bison, and engaging froggie! Perfect for the kids on your list or grown ups in need of a hug! Many more animals, including howling coyote! Read moreGiant Real-As-Life Dinosaurs, 18 inches long – Marked down from 19.95 all the way to 9.95!Awesome size and detail bring these long gone reptiles back to life. Dinosaurs roamed the earth for 165 million years in a time called the Mesozoic Era, also known as the age of reptiles. Dinosaurs hatched from eggs. Some dinosaurs were meat-eaters – also called carnivores – and some ate plants – herbivores. Some walked on two legs and some walked on four. Some did both. Dinosaurs mysteriously became extinct around 65 million years ago. Now this wonderfully realistic collection of these giants brings them back to life. Read more

Dinosaur Skeleton – Junior Archaeologist Dinosaur KitMost economical and fun toy for the money at only $13.95!Children now have the chance to dig up their own dinosaur skeletions! Using the wood chisel and brush provided in the kit, the soft clay like material is removed revealing a dinosaur skeleton. Great fun for the kids. 8 different skeletons to choose from: Tyrannosaurus, Deinonychus, Stegosaurus, Stegoceras, Spinosaurus, Triceratops, Seismosaurus, or Dromaeosaurus.

Give Your Dog the Gift of Mobility

Joint Supplement – Do you have an older dog or a dog with arthritis or joint problems? Check out Nimble, a glucosamine product for dogs, that could help return them to pain-free movement. Click here for more information or to buy.

Park DVDs !

Scenic National Parks: Zion & Bryce (Blu-ray) – List Price: $27.99 Our Price: $ 24.99 You Save: $ 3.00 (11%)In Stock: Ships Next Business DayProduct Details Format: Color, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen Language: English Region: All Regions Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Number of discs: 1 Rating: NR (Not Rated) Studio: Questar DVD Release Date: July 21, 2009 Run Time: 100 minutesJoshua Tree NP DVD This is THE tool you need to plan a trip to Joshua Tree National Park. Just $19.95! You will quickly learn where to go and what to see in this great national park. Take virtual hikes and climbs! Cragcam’s Guide to the Park DVD presents Joshua Tree National Park in a whole new way, capturing its magic and allure in a valuable new travel-planning format. An interactive menu breaks park activities into three easy-to-explore sections allowing users to identify and view specific interests for their own adventure filled visit.

Joshua Tree National Park DVD (Scrub Oak Prod)The most comprehensive and in depth documentary ever produced about Joshua Tree National Park. "Years in the making"Our Price: $ 24.95In Stock: Ships Next Business Day A bold adventure and historical documentary made possible by the tireless efforts of Minerva Hamilton Hoyt and her sincere interest in preserving the park’s beauty and history as an intriguing part of the American West. Full of educational information about the ecosystems and ancient Indian population, plus rare and astounding footage of the wildlife that occupies this National Park. The story chronicles the historical time of the settlers, miners, outlaws and cattlemen, culminating in the historical events and story of the now famous Keys Ranch.

All revenue earned from our online reservation system and store sales are used to support the maintenance and development costs associated with the DesertUSA Web site. By placing reservations on DesertUSA’s reservation system or by purchasing products from the Trading Post, you are directly contributing to the future development and continued maintenance of DesertUSA.

You can book reservations anywhere in the World from the DesertUSA Web site. So be sure to try our online reservation system for your next vacation and/or car rental. Make Reservations Now

Get ready for your visit to the desert with books, gifts and products available from the DesertUSA’s Online Store.DesertUSA’s purpose is to provide a tool for discovery – a publication that entertains, educates and explores with our readers, the beauty, life and culture of the North American deserts. Visitors come to DesertUSA’s Web site every month to read articles, participate in the Desert Talk message board, shop in DesertUSA’s online store and explore the desert virtually.

DesertUSA encourages you to forward a copy of the Digital Desert Newsletter to friends, family and business associates who may be interested in receiving this newsletter on a monthly basis.